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 was little chance of success, the English government gave up the contest, and the American colonies became independent of England, and took the name of the United States.

33. This event took place in 1783, after which, there were a few more years of peace, and then the long wars with France were begun, which lasted above twenty years, and were ended by the famous battle of Waterloo.

34. The cause of the war was this. There had been a great revolution in France. The people rose up against king Louis the Sixteenth, who was made prisoner, and beheaded; just as Charles the First was treated here, and for much the same cause. Then a number of persons took the government into their own hands, and governed without a king, and declared war against the king of Great Britain, and also against the stadtholder of Holland, and the king of Spain, for disapproving of what the French people had done.

35. The Spaniards and Dutch were afterwards obliged to join the French, and many battles were fought both on land and at sea, and some naval victories were gained by the British Admirals Duncan, Howe, and Nelson, and other officers.

36. The greatest man in France at this time